Illuminated gun sight

ABSTRACT

An illuminated gun sight assembly for use with firearms under conditions of restricted light has a sight tube having front and rear sight means. The rear sight means has angularly related bores which house a luminescent substance, and openings expose the substance as two lines of light dots. The forward sight means includes a luminous member visually alignable between the lines of light dots.

V nite ttes Patent yward [451 June 28,

[ IILLUMHINATED GUN SIGHT 3,678,590 7/1972 Hayward 33/241 [76] Inventor: Norman G. Hayward, Rt. 2, Box

1 196, M;1[1;155Q5 V 221 10 Primary Examiner-lows R. Prince Filed Dec 73 1971 Assistant Examiner-Richard R. Stearns [21] Appl. No: 211,604 [57] ABSACT [52] U S U 33/241 33/244 An illuminated gun sight assembly for use with fire- [Sl] In. .Cu Filg arms under conditions of restricted light has a sight [58] w "33/241 745 tube having front and rear sight means. The rear sight means has angularly related bores which house a luminescent substance, and openings expose the substance [56] References Cited as two lines of light dots. The forward sight means in cludes a luminous member visually alignable between UNlTlED STATES PATENTS the lines of light dots 2,553,540 5/1951 Beckerman 33/243 3,641,676 2/1972 Knutsen et al 33/241 3 Claims, d Drawing Figures mums PATENTED Jun 2 8 ISM I ILUUMINATED GUN SIGHT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Patent No. Patentee Issue Date l.225.592 Del Borgo May 8. I9l7 1.292.2ll Young et at! Jan. 21. I919 l.307.063 Palmer June 17. I919 1.346.303 Dawso et al July 13, I920 1.363.553 Barringer Dec. 28, I920 2.339.723 Russell Jan. 18. I944 2.423.|4l Ferrel July l, i947 2.430.469 Karnes Nov. ll. I947 2,295.79] Hornhack Sept. 14. 1942 3,213.7 Hays Nov. 23. I965 3.284.905 Simmons Nov. l5. I966 suuivtasroe Jae. LNYENTION The present invention provides an inexpensive and readily serviceable means to adapt conventional weapons. such as standard rifles, to use under conditions of restricted light. The arrangement of illumination components is such that the rifleman is provided with a visible sight picture which permits the correct aiming of the weapon whenever the target is observable, but the illumination means is effectively concealed from view from the target direction. Thus, the location of the rifleman is not disclosed by the sight means.

The assembly operates without electrical components, thus obviating the need for batteries, wires and the like. It employs a radioactive or otherwise luminescent substance having light emmission characteristics, and is so constructed as to be substantially impervious to malfunction due to weather conditions, dirt or mud. or damage from severe usage. The luminous substance is mounted in such fashion as to be secure from removal without destruction or major alteration of the assembly.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing an illuminated gun sight assembly according to this invention as applied to a conventional firearm;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the sight assembly per FIG. 3 is an elevational view ofthe sight from the rear end thereof; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, sectional view through the rear sight block, :taken on lines 44 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing in more detail, a sight 10 of this invention is there shown as typically mounted on a firearm 12 such as a rifle. In this instance, the assembly 10 is removably mounted on the receiver portion 14 of the rifle. but the manner and location of the mount will vary according to firearm design.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention. the assembly 110 includes an elongated, substantially rectangular base member 16, preferably of solid construction and having a lower side 18. A mounting screw 20 depends from the side 18 and a knurled lock nut 22 is supplied therefore. The screw 20 is engaged in a correspondingly threaded bore (not shown) in the firearm receiver to achieve removable mounting of the assembly in place thereon. It will of course be understood that spring clips or other conventional sight mounting means may be substituted for the screw 20 if desired without departure from the invention.

An elongated, generally tubular sight tube 24 is fixedly secured to the base member 16, and the tube is oriented so as to extend in alignment with the firearm barrel 26 when mounted. The tube has a leading end section 28 and a trailing end section 30. Intermediate these sections, the tube has an elongated top opening 36 formed therein to permit cleaning of the interior thereof.

Positioned in the leading end section of the tube is a forward sight element 34 comprising a base 36 disposed within the tube 24 and having a movable pillar 38 thereon. A conventional mechanism for effecting vertical and lateral movement of the pillar is located in a housing 40 exterior of the tube. and knobs 42, 44 control such windage and elevation adjustments. On the top of the pillar 38 is a longitudinal element 46 which has a bore 47 formed therein. Disposed within the bore 47 is a capsule 49 containing a luminous substance such as Tritium, described in more detail below. A series of inwardly directed stakes 5i retain the capsule 49 in place but expose one and thereof in the direction of the rifle.

A further important component of this invention comprises a rear sight means 48 which includes an upstanding rear sight block 50 having a curvilinear base 52, slant sides 54, 56 and an appex 58 with a semicircular notch therein. The bloek 50 has a first wall so which faces the user, and an opposite wall 62 oriented toward the leading end 28 of the tube. As best shown in FIG. 4, angular bores 64, 66 are formed in the block in locations substantially parallel to the sides 54 and 56, respectively. The bores terminate at ends 68, 70 adjacent to notch 58. Tightly fitted in the bores are elongated transparent capsules 71, and 72 each of which is filled with an illuminating substance, preferably of the radioactive type. One such substance found to be particularly useful is that referred to above and known commercially as Tritium. The capsules 71 and 72 are retained in place by plugs 74 and 76 which are frictionally engaged in the open ends of the bores. After assembly, the block 48 is fixed substantially permanently in the end 30 of the tube. with the base 52 connected thereto by rivet means (not shown).

A series of openings 78, variable in number, are formed in two lines in the wall 60 of the block in such manner as to intersect the chambers 64 and 66. These opening thus exposed to view in one direction a series of light dots which converge toward the notch 58. The luminous exposed end of the capsule 49 in the forward sight is adapted for visual alignment with the notch between the convergence of the lines of dots exposed through the opening 78 thereby providing a correct sight picture for aiming of the firearm.

I claim: 1. An illuminated gun sight for use in restricted light comprising:

an elongated base member; means for attachment of the base member to a firearm; an elongated sight tube affixed to the base member, the sight tube having opposite leading and trailing end sections; an upstanding rear sight block positioned on the sight tube in the trailingend section thereof; said rear sight block having therein a sighting notch and a pair of linear bores formed therein generally orthogonal to the axis of said tube and extending along lines which converge at said notch; a luminescent substance disposed in each said bores;

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the forward sight element has therein a bore open towards the trailing end 'of said sight tube, and luminescent means in said bore. 

1. An illuminated gun sight for use in restricted light comprising: an elongated base member; means for attachment of the base member to a firearm; an elongated sight tube affixed to the base member, the sight tube having opposite leading and trailing end sections; an upstanding rear sight block positioned on the sight tube in the trailing end section thereof; said rear sight block having therein a sighting notch and a pair of linear bores formed therein generally orthogonal to the axis of said tube and extending along lines which converge at said notch; a luminescEnt substance disposed in each said bores; a series of openings in the sight block, said openings being open towards the trailing end of the sight tube and being arranged in lines intersecting the bores and the notch whereby the luminescent substance is visible there through from the trailing end section of the sight tube; and a forward sight element mounted in the leading end section of said sight tube including a point of aim adapted for visual alignment with the lines of openings.
 2. The invention of claim 1, wherein: said bores and series of openings converge upwardly.
 3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the forward sight element has therein a bore open towards the trailing end of said sight tube, and luminescent means in said bore. 